1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a fastening apparatus integral with an article of apparel, such as protective shoulder gear which may include shoulder pads which are worn by football players. The fastening apparatus provides infinite tightening adjustment and quick release capability for straps which attach shoulder pads to a user.
2 Description of the Background Art
Various strap fastening systems which are designed for protective shoulder gear currently exist. These systems employ numerous straps which require rather elaborate buckles such as Tee-buckles and slots, clamping rings, and/or buckles with slots which engage with mounting pins. Other prior art systems require specially designed non-elastic straps which include protective padding. Such prior art non-elastic straps become worn and require replacement after each season of use of the protective shoulder gear. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,187 (Zide et al.), a two-strap system which employs elaborate clamping rings and non-elastic straps are disclosed. After extended use, the straps in the system become worn and require replacement. Since some of the straps in this prior art system are threaded through a kidney pad, the entire system must be replaced and the user thereby incurs an expense to maintain such a system in an operable condition. With such a complex system that employs Tee-buckles in slots in addition to multiple clamping rings, the complexity of the system makes tightening of the straps of the system more difficult.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,867,726 (Owl et al.), the strap system provided therein includes readily detachable buckles which engage with pins mounted on front chest portions of a shoulder pad. Such a system is susceptible to accidental disengagement due to impacts and external forces acting on the shoulder pads such as impacts with opposing football players.
Other strap systems coupled to shoulder pads have the disadvantages of requiring relatively complex manipulation for the positioning, tightening, and loosening of the buckles and/or clamping rings which are coupled to the straps. Other systems provide an inconvenient location of the buckle of the strap fastening system which varies with tightness and/or the girth of a user. Systems which employ clamping rings also have the tendency to distort the shape of the straps which in turn lowers the operability and inhibits subsequent free adjustment of the straps. Other buckles in prior art strap fastening systems require attachment to the shoulder pads by secondary flexible straps which are looped through and stitched to a portion of the buckle. Such stitching of a strap to a buckles does not firmly attach the buckle to a shoulder pad which in turn permits the buckle and strap arrangement to become loose and eventually facilitates the disengagement of the buckle and the strap due to the forceful impacts and collisions which occur during use of the shoulder pads.
Various buckles that provide free movement of a strap in one direction and the locking of a strap in the opposite direction currently exist in the prior art. These conventional buckles can include: paired rings that cinch a strap by a wrapping-around-type of engagement with the strap; members which provide cam action that permits clamping of a strap between a cam and a fixed member; or a sliding wedge or roller wedge that clamps a strap in a wedged-shaped housing. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 360,369 (Buchholz), a sliding wedge that clamps a strap in a wedged-shaped housing is shown. In such a buckle, a roughened or serrated under surface is provided on the sliding wedge. The buckle housing is also secured to the strap itself by prongs which are a part of the housing. Such a design is susceptible to loosening and accidental disengagement since the fastening mechanisms employed do not provide for a rigid attachment. Furthermore, such wedges in the wedge-shaped housing do not increase the coefficient of friction significantly enough to prevent loosening of a strap which is pressed between the wedge and the smooth surface of the housing.
Accordingly, a need in the art exists for a method of securing a strap with a fastening apparatus integral with an article of apparel and a strap-fastening apparatus integral with an article of apparel that locks a strap in a position whereby translational displacement required for locking a wedge of the strap-fastening apparatus and smoothing wear of the wedge are substantially reduced while friction is substantially increased between the wedge and the strap and between a planar surface of the strap-fastening apparatus and the strap.